Michigan CDL DMV Combination 1

To help prevent a rig from rolling over, you should keep the weight of the cargo as close to the ground as possible when loading. You should also drive slowly around turns.

Correctly following the steps to couple and uncouple trailers is vital to safely operating a combination vehicle. After connecting the air lines to the trailer while coupling, you should supply air to the trailer.

When making a turn, be sure to steer gently and smoothly. Making a quick turn while pulling trailers is dangerous and can increase the risk of the last trailer rolling over.

Combination vehicles need more space on the road than other commercial vehicles because they are longer and need more space to turn and stop. It is especially important to properly manage space when you are operating a combination vehicle.

When connecting a converter dolly to a second or third trailer, the trailer height should correct. It should be slightly lower than the center of the fifth wheel.

Railroad-highway crossings may be difficult to cross when pulling a trailer with a low underneath clearance. In particular, both low-slung units and single-axle tractors pulling long trailers are especially challenging to drive over raised crossings.

Older trailers do not have spring brakes. This means that if the air supply in an older trailer's air tank has leaked away, there will be no working brakes connected to the trailer and its wheels will turn freely.

Tractors without semi-trailers are referred to as "bobtail tractors." Bobtail tractors are difficult to operate and drivers must exercise caution.

Tractor protection controls in older vehicles may be operated by levers instead of knobs. If an air supply control is set in its "emergency" position, the air supply will be stopped and the trailer emergency brakes will be applied.

Rollovers can happen when a combination vehicle is turned too quickly. To help prevent the risk of rollover, it is important to keep the vehicle's center of gravity low by loading cargo as close to the ground as possible.

If you are operating a vehicle built before 1998 and are unsure if the trailer has an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), you can check under the trailer for wheel speed sensors coming from the back of the brakes.

If your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks for any reason, you should immediately exit the vehicle and walk away from the tracks. Contact the proper emergency authorities.

A rollover is more likely if cargo is unevenly loaded in a rig. To help prevent a dangerous rollover, it is important to keep a load as centered on the rig as possible.

Shut-off valves are used in air supply lines to control the passage of air from one trailer to another. The rear shut-off valve should always be closed to prevent air from leaving the braking system.

Trailers can overturn as a result of the "crack-the-whip" effect. The last trailer in a combination is the most prone to tip over due to this effect. Drivers should be aware of the rearward amplification of their specific vehicles and drive accordingly.

When coupling, be sure to couple the proper glad hands. When glad hands are connected, the seals should be pressed together at a 90-degree angle.

Be sure to test the trailer emergency brakes before beginning a trip. After ensuring that the trailer rolls freely, you can test the emergency brakes by pulling out the trailer air supply control, or placing it in the "emergency" position. Pull forward slightly with the tractor and make sure the trailer does not move.

The tractor protection valve keeps air in the trailer's braking system should the trailer break away or develop a leak. A loss of air pressure in the emergency line will cause the tractor protection valve to open and the emergency trailer brakes to activate.

An Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) helps prevent wheel lockup during hard braking. If ABS detects impending lockup, it reduces braking pressure to a safe level.

If your trailer begins to skid, you should release the brakes to regain traction. The trailer will begin to straighten out once the wheels begin to grip the road again.